Alchemy Cache II: Lighter than Air Virtual Cache
Alchemy Cache II: Lighter than Air
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(virtual)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This is a virtual cache. You are looking for a six-story high
stainless steel structure, which is a combination sundial and four
sealed caches (although one has already been plundered). Take a
short break or stay awhile and visit the adjacent museum.
This is the second in the Alchemy Cache series, examples of unusual
and hopefully fun or interesting chemistry trivia.
The structure at these coordinates is the Helium Monument,
commemorating the 100th anniversary of the discovery of helium on
the sun in 1868. No, there was not a secret, pre-NASA probe to the
sun in 1868. All of the features of the sun's spectrum (those
little rainbows you see when sunlight goes through a prism) could
be accounted for with known elements of the time except for one
set, which could only be explained by assigning them to a new
element. It was named helium after Helios, Greek god of the
sun.
Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, but it
is too light to stay in the earth's atmosphere. Essentially all
helium on earth is isolated from natural gas, which can contain up
to 7% helium. Most of the world's supply of helium is within 250
miles of Amarillo and as recently as 1990, 90% of the world's
helium supply was produced in the Amarillo area, hence Amarillo's
designation as "Helium Capital of the World".
Helium is used not only for birthday balloons and blimps, but is
used in arc welding, is used to purge and pressurize rockets and
spacecraft, and is used instead of nitrogen in the breathing mix
used by deep sea divers to avoid the bends. Liquid helium (at
-451F) is what makes superconducting magnets, like those used for
MRI, possible.
The Helium Monument is really four time capsules (sealed
caches?!). The first was opened after 25 years in 1993. The
contents are on display in the adjacent museum. The other three
will be opened after 50, 100, and 1000 years. Among the most
interesting things in the capsules is the passbook in the 1000 year
capsule to a bank account with a $10 deposit. It is projected to be
worth $1 quadrillion when opened in 2968! That likely makes this
the most valuable geocache on record, if you are willing to wait
until 2968.
To claim this cache, email
us the answers to each of these two questions:
1. When will the time capsule that points to the south be
opened?
2. Who or what is the last entry on the list of members of the
Helium Centennial Committee?
Feel free to log your visit once you have sent us the answers to
the questions. It is not necessary to wait for a reply from us.
Good luck and have fun!!
If this virtual cache is preventing anyone from placing a
traditional cache because of the geocaching.com rule of 0.1 miles
between caches, please contact us and we will archive this
cache.
-----------------
For the other Alchemy caches see:
Alchemy Cache I: Soluble in Water,
GC8EC0
Alchemy Cache III: Liquid Metal,
GCHZ8D
TuristaJ was the first to find and log
this cache and enters the
Alchemist2000
and Code Poet Ring of Honor!
gmurphy55 was the second to find and log this cache and
enters the
Alchemist2000
and Code Poet Bridesmaids' Brigade!
-----------------
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[Question 1:] Fgnaq haqre gur ngbz naq snpr Qba Uneevatgba. Vg vf abj oruvaq lbh.
[Question 2:] Ortvaf jvgu J.